Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-10-23
THE STARTLING.
oEE OF THE MOST INTERESTING
BIRDS IN SCOTLAND.
Its Powers OF Mimicry and Its Thefts-
Its Habits and Its Use.
falness.


tie fellow. His well known powers OF
mimicry are admirable and amusing.
He is also an inofIensivc bird may,
more, he is very useful. His principal
TODD consists of worms, insects, AMI
laryI Of all sorts, chiefly the last
uamod and the vast quantities Of
.Iub he consumes, both on his own ac-
count and On that Of his brood, should
insure for him protection and en-
courager ert Unlike the blackbird
and The thrnsh he docs not seem to at
tack huit OF any kind-at least We
B ave never observed that he dOes-and
gardeners have, therefore, no cause 70
quarrel with him. Nor is he in the
least injurious to grain. 1t is an open
question whether the rock, to
which the startling is nearly al
lied, is entitled to be regarded
as lot, on the whole, more hurtful than
helpful to the farmer. That he de-
strOys vast quantities of grub IS GER
tain and in this respect it is clear he
is good friend to the farmer, although
tie benefit is not very apparent, nor
can 1t well be estimated in pounds, shil
linGs, and pence. But, on the other
hand, he often proves very destructive
to the potato crop in all its stages and
10 newly-thinned fields of turnips. On
the latter the rocks viii sometimes de-
scend in a flock and in an hour or two
Of morning pull up thousands Of
young plants, merely, as would appear,
on the chance of finding worm or
pub at the roots, for the turnip-plants
are not eaten by them. But no such
charges as these can be brought against
the starting.
We are aware that some persons have
attempted to blacken his character by
sfiirming that he DESTROYS great num-
bcrs OF the eggs OF smaller birds, espe-
cially those of the lark and year or
so ago there were those who main
tanned that starlings, If allowed 10
multiply, would very soon extirpate
the larks. We do not deny that mas
ter starting sometimes appropriatcs a
few eggs Of smaller birds 10 which he
has no legitimate claim. But eggs are
not his proper or usual food. and ut
that season Of the year, when the small
birds are incubating, there is abunl-
oncc of his usual fare to be had,
so that he has 10 need to seek meal
bv robbery of the sort charged. The
presumption is, therefore, against what
We must call the libel. But more than
ills, we think it is sufficient to rebut
the charge of his naligners to state the
fact that in the Orkney and Shetland
islands, with which we ore intimately
acquainted, stariings, lsrks, mountain
| linuets. and many other species o.:
small birds are exceedingly M
morous. The lark and the noun
tain hnnct build their nests on the
ground in the most open and access
| le places, and il tho Startling wer1 q
lobber Of their nests there would not
lee such immense numbers Of these
charming songsters in those Islands.
| Go where one may in spring aAl sum
mer he never but hears the ineXprcS-
tibly sweet songs Of half n dozen OF
these "cthereal MINISTRIES y and the
clouds Of linnets which congregate to-
eether after the breeding season aud
! fill the air with their Joyous melody
prove plainly enough that they do not
suffer much, if at all, from starting per
sccution and depreciation.
Until within the last twenty or thirty
years the startling vas = comparatively
rare bird in the inland districts of Scot
land but of late, from what cause IS
not clear. the bird has been increasing
RAPIDLY. He is not often seen duriu :
winter in such localities. for at that
season he can get but little Of his pro
per food hut considerable numbers
! now come inland as the breeding season
approaches and remain until the
scarcity of provisions compeis them
to seek the milder districts-of the sen
coast where they can always pick up
living.
Our house is situated about twenty
miles inland from the shores OF the
Firth Of Forth. and for the last twelve
wears We have been greatly inter
csted in watching the proceeding.
Of pair Of starlings which come here
everv year to bring out their young
We DO not know for certain whether
is the same identical pair. Sometimes
from the repetition Of their little way
spd tricks of action, We think 50 ; a
other times we are doubtful. Bu
what is curious is that there is bu
one pair about the premises, an.
they always take mp the sam
safe and comfortable quarters. Their
is a hole in the wood under the cave
of the projecting roof of the house JUS
large enough to allow ingress an
ccress. Somewhere inside, but clos
to this hole, the nest was original.
huilt. and continues to be built, or
rother. we should suppose, repaired
every wear. when the same routine an
for11eiitios are gone through. On
fine day about the end of January on
nrd arrives. We hear from above III
cheerful bat not melodious notes
the exact counterpart of the PIP
If the golden ployer, the whistle o
tie cullew, or the scream OF the sea
nil. and. looking up, see orr Old stII
Ing friend perched on the top o!
chimney can prospecting. lie remain
me or two days and then disappear:
In a fortnight or three weeks, accor,o
ing as the weather may happen to b
Good or bad, he returns-this time VII
. mate. This visit commonly lasts 10
three or four days and the pair care
fnlly inspect their old quarters al
again take their departure. Not IL
further on in spring do they come an
commence the important business
the season. $3.50
Most of the arrangements ana pr
e. marathon Of the nest seem to be maue
The early morning. During incuoatlo
, thew are exceedingly quiet and al
= seldom seen abroad. But as soon
the voung birds are hatched the lie
, the parent birds become one OF ceas
, less and evidently delighted actlyIt
, From sc early morn to dewy eve the
are busy catering for their young, al
, the quantity of food that is consume
= Is something to marvel at. Both Dir'
+ are equally active; alternately ta az
. come and go, and exactly Il
= same forms are gone through. Bea
1 ING a writhing worm or gTuO
{ rs hill one of the parents-there